LS Weekly Memo
LS Weekly Memo Week 22, January 25-29, 2016
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Best of luck with reports. I hope PCR is behaving. Onto State of the School, proof-reading reports and Admissions Day.
CONSTRUCTION UPDATES
- The new covered area will be opening as soon as we get pads for the pillars in place and posts and basketball hoops up. A final blacktop coating and line painting will have to wait until the weather is warmer.Teams to discuss use agreements.
- Once all the rooms are roughed out, Jon and I will find dates for faculty tours of the building in groups of 10 or so.
- Though the weather continues to caused a bit of a setback, the building continues to be on budget and under time with a projected completion date of mid-July.
COMMUNITY
State of the School, Monday, 1/25 @ 3:30 - Dining Hall
After an overview you will have the choice of attending 2 of 4 sessions offered about all school initiatives:
- Strategic planning - Mo Copeland and Kate Lieber
- Safety - Jon von Behren
- Curriculum - Chris Schuck
- Finances - Gretchen Reed
How to Raise an Adult - Author Julie Lythcott-Haims Speaks on Campus
Monday, April 18th at 7:00 pm in the Chapel
PCL is bringing author to campus.
Marketing Department Request
If you'd like to share anything your class is up to, please send it to marketing@oes.edu--that's our catch-all inbox to make sure we're not missing out on any exciting campus happenings
Birthdays
On Wednesday, January 27th – we will celebrate January and February birthdays with a chocolate cake, coffee and tea in the LS Lounge. Pick up your treat/s anytime of the day.
Happy Birthday!
JANUARY
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Thompson, Chris
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1/1
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Sternberg, Ari
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1/15
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Whitmore, Doug
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1/23
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FEBRUARY
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McCrary, Kelola
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2/6
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Tharp, Colesie
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2/20
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Lower School Leadership Visioning
Thank you for your input. I will be seeking time this week to check back with you about what I heard and how that lead me to two different models of support in LS that I am considering. I hope to be able to meet with teams this week. Chris, Janet and Alysa will look to find a time when I can meet with their teams.
Specialists, I will be meeting with you after the LS Faculty Meeting, 8:40 - 9:10 on Thursday.
Upper School Helpers - see email from Robin Schaufler
Beginning this Thursday I will have a new team of Upper School students available to perform all types of on-campus service:
Every Wednesday, 10:20-10:50 (note that this is only half an hour & adjust your expectations accordingly!)
Every Thursday, 10:50-11:50
They’ll do anything—indoors, outdoors, office work, classroom work, you name it.
Chapel Schedule
- New Chapel Theme
In his “Letter from a Birmingham Jail,” Martin Luther King, Jr. observed that “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” Beginning Monday, we will have a short series of chapel talks that center on the theme of justice. We will begin with a story from Dr. King’s childhood called “The Ice Cream Shop.” It’s my hope that this story and related music will connect nicely with other conversations and activities across the LS that are taking place during the week leading up to our MLK Assembly. During the next four chapels—Monday, Jan. 25, Monday, Feb. 1, Friday, Feb. 5, and Monday, Feb. 8—we will continue to explore the theme of justice and its relationship to compassion by hearing sacred stories from various traditions. If you or your class would like to actively participate in an upcoming chapel on justice during early February (e.g., sharing an activity or story from the classroom), please be in touch. It would be wonderful to include more voices!
Admissions
- Admission Day, January 29
All faculty are expected to assist with Admissions on this day, except for the PreK teachers who will be working on 2/6. We will use the 1/28 faculty meeting to prepare.
- Save the Date- Pre-K Admissions Visit, Saturday, February 6th
Sarah will be in touch with participants. As you know, we all need to share our time and talents to find the very best candidates for our program. I realize this means some of us will need to work both days. We will try to share the load. Those who work Saturday will be considered for reduced responsibilities on Friday, as staffing allows.
- Admissions Season
Sarah has a limited number of days to schedule classroom visits, so thank you for your flexibility. Specialists, please take 2-3 minutes out of your day to provide feedback on visitors. Your feedback is greatly appreciated.
- Friendly Reminder: Send Admissions Visitors to the Office at 2:00
Send two buddies or an Assistant Teacher at 2:00. We want our guests to avoid the traffic congestion at the end of the day.
Admissions File Readers Will Be Busy in the Coming Weeks
This year, for the first time, admissions file readers will be able to read online. Please be aware that this is a very important and huge task is underway and that David, Chris, Janet, Alysa, Ari and Melanie will be immersed in this process the next two to three weeks. Our schedules will be full, so please be understanding and support one another.
Students of Concern
- HB - K- CB
- Has difficulty keeping up with the flow of things, can be disruptive. Let Carole and Chris know if he is having difficulties. We want to be consistent in our support.
- OB-K-CB
- Mourning the loss of her father, hasn’t wanted to be at school, has strayed away from the class, needs to be shadowed
- Giving her lots of love and support
- She is doing much better. Had a shortened day, but is now trying two full days, Tuesday and Thursday. We are exploring the possibility of adding a third full day.
- Please keep Carole and Chris in the loop if challenging behavior arises again.
- SG - 2 JB
- Let Jackie or Chris know if he is having difficulty in your class
- If he gets stuck and disrupts the class, let Chris know- call the office
- Specialists, please note that we are only completing daily reflections for Sam now. We will not be using the rating system. We value your input and appreciate your feedback. Please input any observations at the end of each day into the weekly googledoc. In addition to the daily communication with his family this document is also sent daily to Sam's outside support team. They appreciate the specific examples we provide and work through them with him (accomplishments and challenges). Thank you.
- SD-2TG and IB-2JS Behavior Contract- 1/25-2/1
- For the next week S and I will not play the same game. One will play football, the other soccer
- When walking back from recess, one will walk at the beginning of the line, the other the back of the line
- We’ll review their progress next week and make a plan for the following week. Stay tuned.
- Fourth Grade World Cup Soccer Games
- I met with Fourth Grade boys. They made a plan:
- Gather at the beginning to organize teams. They will divide into two mixed ability groups with one soccer goal OR play one large game of soccer using two goals
- Teachers out on the field, please continue to monitor this situation. Last week I had to remind them of their agreements.
- Second Grade Boys Pretend Play on the Field
- Second Grade boys are fascinated with pretend games that involve play fighting.
Since we returned from Winter Break, this seems to be less of a concern. Please
let teachers know if issues continue to arise.
Major Rules - If a student violates a major rule, Chris and David need to know and need to be part of the determination of consequences and reparations.
- Verbal abuse, physical abuse, bullying, or inappropriate physical touch.
- Lying, deceit, or other dishonest conduct
- Destruction of property belonging to the School, its personnel or another student
- Stealing
- Inappropriate language
- Possession or use of weapons or any object that is used in a threatening manner
PROGRAM
Conferences - 2/11 and 2/12
- Parents must request permission from me to schedule conferences on a different day
- I will suggest phone or video conferences on the conference days if parents are away
- I will be more understanding if parent absence is due to professional commitments rather than personal travel.
- Conferences are three weeks out. In an effort to provide parents with no surprises at conferences, be sure to let parents know before conferences if you have significant concerns, or if you have requested a member of SST to attend the conference.
Science Displays and Tours of Science Fair
See Anna Rozzi’s email offering two different science engagement opportunties.
Parent Winter Coffees
Our thanks to Melanie and Ari who will present at these coffees; Melanie on Resiliency and Ari on executive function. Our thanks to classroom teachers who will attend and contribute topics of relevance to their grade.
1st and 2nd- Wed 1/27
3rd through 5th 2/2
All coffees are from 8-9 in the LS library.
Primary Season
We are finalizing students recommendations to Primary on Tuesday. Please let Chris, Melanie, Ari or me know by the end of the day Monday the names of any child who you think could benefit from the Primary program.
Progress Reports
Jeffrey gave you the overview and the offer of assistance if you need it. See the timeline below, including the Tina adjustment, and the proofing plan too.
Progress Report Timeline
Monday, 1/25 @ 8:00am - Reports due
Monday, 1/25 - 1/29 Report Proofing
Monday, 2/1 @ 8:00am - All reports posted in PCR
Friday, 2/05 - Reports posted for parents
Monday, 2/8 - ERB’s sent to 4th and 5th grade parents
Progress Report Proofing - everyone needs to have reports proofed by a colleague
- Teachers on a grade level team will proof each other’s reports
- Department members will proof each other’s reports
- David will proof Science
- Chris will help proof Art and Kelola’s Spanish reports
- All changes will need to be made in PCR by 8:00 am, 2/1
The bad news - our typical times set aside for proofing are taken up by the following:
1/25 - State of School Address
1/28 - Admissions Day prep faculty meeting
1/29 - Admissions Day
The convergence of these three events in the same week are the results of the compressed schedule for the year.
The good news - you have more days to complete proofing and entering in PCR
DRA Reporting and Plans
After the demands of assessing and report writing, we will ask classroom teachers to record the most recent assessments in our spreadsheet. If students are working below grade-level expectations we should gather at an SST meeting to make plans to support students’ growth.
Scheduling Task Force
No meeting on 1/26
Meeting, 2/1 - Define problem, begin ideation - 3:30 Rachel’s Room
Awaiting confirmation from Jordan/Deri- US scheduling process, rotating schedule
Meeting 2/3 - UCDS consultancy - 3:30 Platt Global Classroom
Our scheduling consultants from University Child Development School, Melissa and Kerrie, cannot meet on Tuesday, January 26th, our regularly scheduled STF meeting. Instead, we will meet the following Wednesday, February 3rd. One less thing to do during a busy report writing week!
Monday, 1/25 - AS State of School
Thursday, 1/28 - LS Division - Admissions Day Prep
Library News
After being thwarted by floodwaters and illness, we are hoping to be lucky on this third try. Monday, January 25th, in the Lower School Library from10:50-11:50 with our World Book rep, Derek Collett. Please RSVP here.
We have two author visits this week!
3rd-5th grades: Margaret Haddix on Thursday, January 28th, at 1:00 pm in the Chapel (note the change in venue).
Beginning School: The Salina Yoon visit is confirmed for Monday, January 25th at 1:35 pm in the Library.
After School Classes - Kati needs classrooms for after school classes. Offer what afternoons you can. See her email for details.
OPERATIONS
New Mulch on Path to Wetlands
Mark removed much of the hazelnut shells and replaced it with a wood chip mulch. The path is open.
Rainy Mud Season at Aardvark Community Park- A few things to keep in mind
Designated Excavation Area
Clearly, children love to play with mud and puddles. Wondering, how can we make this happen and keep our play spaces safe (tripping over deep ditches,etc) and keep children from becoming a wet muddy mess that needs to be dealt with following recess? Look for an email early this week when we come up with a plan.
Children Must Have Some Type of Footwear on At All Times
I noticed last week that children were walking around barefoot or in socks because their footwear got wet. For safety reasons, children should have some type of footwear on at all times. Have parents supply extra socks and footwear for those who like to muck about in mud and puddles. What fun!
Excavation Tools Cleaned Up at the End of Recess
Shelley put out a bin of 4 buckets and 6 digging tools last week. If you are on duty and put these buckets and digging tools out for children, spend the last few minutes of recess collecting these materials and get them back to the shed. We want to make sure these don’t get lost.
Emergency Closure Communication
Phone tree - we are no longer using the phone tree. We are relying on Instant Alert.
If you encountered any issues with your Instant Alert notifications, contact Rebecca Williams.
Concerns from the Bon Appetit
Keep up the cheese management.
Dirty Dishes in Common Areas
Please return your dishes to the the dining hall each day. The Dining Hall is open from 10:45 - 1:15 every day. In addition, there is a tub outside the dining hall after hours for the collection of dirty dishes. Though Shirley has been willing to pick-up your dirty dishes, it is not part of her official duties.
Students on Covered Walkway and Loop Road Pick Up by 2:55
Thanks for the extra effort. It makes a difference.
Friendly Reminder About Sub Requests
Miriam continues to get requests late at night. Please do not text Miriam after 7pm. Contact her:
Evening: Sunday through Thursday 5:00-7:00pm
Morning: Monday through Friday 6-6:15am
Loop Rd Dismissal Duty
Please bring your cell phones to this duty. Call Miriam if you have questions concerning a student’s after school plans.
Parking in the Main Lot
Parking continues to be a challenge for many Pre-K families who need to park and sign out children at pick up time. Please park in the lot behind the gym whenever possible.
Parent Volunteers Must Sign In at the LS Office When They Volunteer
Please remind parents in your next communication about the importance of signing in at the office. This is critical for two reasons:
•For security, our community expects visitors to wear visitor badges (BS lunch helpers will wear an OES sticker)
•In the event of an emergency- fire, earthquake, lockdown, we need to know who was in the building.
Please don’t let parents in the building without a pass. Remind them politely that they need to check in at the office.
Calendar Updates-
Please be sure to enter your big events- plays, field trips, learning celebrations posted on the faculty event calendar and Anne’s All School calendar. Remember, if an event impacts parents and families, you must get that on the AS web calendar.
Your Announcements
Send any announcements you have for faculty to Chris or me by Thursday each week and we will include them in the Weekly Memo. This should help reduce the number of emails we are receiving, and to maximize our time to collaborate during meetings.
